WINNIPEG — Rookie outside hitter Savannah Purdy (Victoria) had 18 kills to lead three Trinity Western Spartans in double digits in kills and give TWU a 3-1 (25-18, 23-25, 25-18, 25-11) win over the Winnipeg Wesmen Friday night at the Duckworth Centre in Winnipeg. 

With the win the No. 3 Spartans improve to 7-0 in Canada West conference play, while the Wesmen had their modest two-match win streak snapped as Winnipeg drops to 2-3 on the season. 

Fifth year outside hitter Ashtyn McKenzie (Vernon, B.C.) added 13 kills and third year outside hitter Hilary Howe (Calgary) 11 kills for the Spartans, who got 15 digs from  rookie libero Emma Gamache (Abbotsford, B.C.) and rookie setter Olivia Heinen (Langley, B.C.). 

Ashleigh Laube and Emma Parker once again had double-doubles in leading the Wesmen attack. Both had 13 kills, with Laube notching 15 digs and Parker 10. 

QUOTABLE
TWU Head Coach Ryan Hofer
"We knew we had to keep chipping away. Winnipeg was playing very well, they were playing an error-free game, which really forced us to have to earn our points."  

"They didn't start giving us points until the very end there, so we had to earn every one of them. We had to keep up with our serving game and fight to find ways to score the ball." 

Winnipeg Head Coach Diane Scott 
"We did our homework and practiced great the last two days (but) we played tight and didn't follow our game plan"

"The second set, for sure, we battled and won that tight set, but as soon as one wheel falls off the bus, we went back to what we were a couple weeks ago." 

NOTABLE

• Trinity Western hit .320 for the match, the first time this season the Spartans have hit over .300 for a match.
• The Wesmen were only able to muster a .088 attack percentage, the first time the season-opener at Regina that Winnipeg has hit below .100.
• TWU had the edge in blocking 14-5 and 5-4 in service aces. Both teams had 55 digs. TWU has not dropped a set to Winnipeg since Oct. 24, 2015, and has not lost to the Wesmen since November 23, 2012 - 12 straight wins. 

UP NEXT 
The two teams will face each other again Saturday with a 6:45 p.m. CT first serve. The both matches can be seen live on Canadawest.TV.

-TW-